In Residence: Inside Mattia Bonetti's Home on Lake Lugano

Unfortunately, I think that there is a big uniformity all over the world that makes everything very, very similar and very impersonal – very little imagination, I think. I guess it resembled me, this house, somehow.

This video from NOWNESS’ In Residence series features Swiss furniture designer Mattia Bonetti in his home on Lake Lugano. Bonetti is based in Paris but maintains this home in his birthplace: Lugano, Switzerland. Designing furniture since 1979, Bonetti is known for his vibrant designs, often full of historical allusions and in contrast to his subdued persona. In the video, the artist and designer mention that some of the home’s accessories were handmade by Bonetti himself.

Continue reading to learn about Bonetti's inspirations in restoring and adding to his lakeside home.

The home’s location on the lake was imperative to Bonetti, who swims every day and considers the element essential to his life. He hasn’t ever worked in the house, however, considering the beautiful scenery too distracting – he prefers instead to work in more “anonymous” spaces. The home itself is a mixture of historic and modern artifacts. Both of Bonetti’s parents were antique dealers and he inherited furniture from them - with the addition of some of his own gallery pieces, he gives the home a historical feel with contemporary flair.

The house was vacant for 15-20 years before Bonetti acquired it and he loved that the house was still in its original condition, his enthusiasm visible in the restorations he has undertaken. Bonetti wasn’t looking for a large house, just enough space to live comfortably; his home is grounded in its natural surroundings, the floors are made of local clay that has been used for centuries. Bonetti got his inspiration from the original, historical house and used that to fuel his restorations and additions to create an end product that reflects his life.